Assessment of Testing Competency and Associated Training Needs of In-Service Secondary School Teachers in Kwara State

Abstract

The study assessed the test construction skills, testing competency level and the training needs of in-service secondary school teachers in kwara state. Using the survey research design, the population comprised all in-service secondary schools teachers in Kwara state with a sample size of one hundred and eighteen (118) teachers in Ilorin west area selected using stratified random sampling techniques with gender as strata. The study answered three research questions and tested two research hypothesis. An instrument titled: Test construction competency scale was used to obtain information as well as open ended item on the training needs of the teachers. The study found out that the most frequently possessed test construction skills is that they have the ability to “Consult standard textbook in the subject for guide” and can “Give clear instruction to guide the test items” as well. However, the least possessed skills are that they mostly lack the ability to “Avoid gender stereotypes in the test items” during test development stage, “Limit essay tests to high level objectives” and are “not comfortable giving students test items for marking” among others. The result further shows that there is a high level of testing competency among the in-service secondary school teachers in the state. Also, there is no difference in the testing competency level of in-service secondary school teachers in Kwara state base on gender and their year of teaching experience. The study therefore recommended that there should be regular in-service training for teachers to update their assessment skills.